Acupuncture

Acupuncture

Sometimes you just feel stuck. The electrical activity in your body can get blocked or restricted, which leads to symptoms of illness. Acupuncture helps by activating your body's ability to resolve stagnation on its own. Studies continue to show that acupuncture is an effective and safe method for relieving mental health complaints- especially when combined with traditional psychotherapy.

If the idea of needles makes you feel uncomfortable, it is important to know that most patients barely feel a thing. It is important to us that you feel comfortable. Once the treatment has started, you may feel an electrical pulse or aching sensation around the points selected for healing or feel energy movements within the body. Typically, patients fall into a deep state of relaxation that is very close to sleep.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the most well-known eastern therapy in the United States.

Acupuncture is a branch of Traditional Chinese medicine, a system of medicine that studies and treats the person not the disease.

Acupuncture is a therapy that heals by inserting very fine sterile needles at specific locations on the body. Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine that utilizes the body's own electrical system (qi) to promote healing. Qi energy is the electrical activity in the body that connects all of our mind and body systems.

*Qi is pronounced "chee"

How does acupuncture work?

TCM Cupping therapy

To describe it simply, acupuncture stimulates the electrical current that connects the brain and body continuously. Systemic balance is called homeostasis- and it is necessary to maintain internal stability. When at any point that electrical current (Qi) is compromised, homeostasis is also effected so symptoms of imbalance occur and disease ensues. The name for this electrical current in traditional Chinese medicine is qi. The strategic insertion of fine acupuncture needles along specific electrical pathways (meridians) will stimulate that bad connection so that the process of homeostasis may correct under/over productive systems in the body that need to be addressed.

Acupuncture helps the overall function of the body and is effective for many acute and chronic illnesses. It stimulates the natural healing processes of the body to restore health and healing by activating specific points along energy pathways and meridians mapped by TCM practitioners over hundreds of years of careful and meticulous research and documentation of treatments.

Follow-up treatments include acupuncture and TCM gua sha and cupping when related to condition being treated.

Gua Sha

Therapeutic release of muscle tension and stagnation. Traditionally, a flat-sided soup spoon is used to rub the skin and apply pressure that will utilize this friction for relieving stagnation in the deeper muscle fibers and tissue.

Cupping

Suction release of stagnation in muscle tissue and lymphatic system. Glass cups are used to create a suction over muscle tissue to enhance blood flow and qi movement deeper in the body.

Acupressure

Pressure release of acupuncture points specifically selected based on the patient's symptoms.

Herbal Medicine

Therapeutic actions of plants that relieve symptoms and root conditions of health complaints. A complete TCM assessment and diagnosis is necessary for accurate herbal medicine prescriptions.